Saturday Morning
by Queen Peacock
Summary: Saturday Mornings are pretty typical in the Torres household


Saturday Morning

Eleanor Bishop Torres heard a tiny cry from the crib in in the corner and quickly stumbled out of bed. She shrugged on her robe this chilly morning and tiptoed over to the crib and peeked inside. Her 8-month daughter Astrid who smiled at her mother and squealed when she made eye contact with her favorite person.

Ellie scooped up the baby girl and carried her, out of the room, to prevent her daughter from waking up her husband. As she walked down the hallway. She stopped in the second bedroom. Where her son was sleeping deeply. Ellie walked down the hall that connected the stairs. When she and Nick bought this house, she balked at the number of doors and passages that were in this house. But since she had kids, it was nice to be able to shut the upper floors off from the crying baby. Nick liked it because it if there were ever a chance of an intruder, the intruder would need to go through many passages before getting to the children.

As Ellie passed through another passage and then descended the stairs, Astrid cooed happily gumming her hand. Quietly Ellie shut the last door and entered an open concept living room, dining room, and kitchen. It was messy and neat, a perfect mix of Ellie and Nick.

"So Trixie did you sleep well? Good job not waking up daddy." Ellie said to her small daughter as she kissed her cherub cheeks. Astrid cooed at her mother. Ellie places the little girl into a high chair and turned on the coffee maker, and start foraging for berries and started to get the ingredients for pancakes. Astrid was happily munching on cheerios and some diced strawberries.

Ellie looked at her phone and saw that it was supposed to be a rainy day. She inwardly groaned, how to keep a mobile very busy active 8 months and a 7 almost 8 years old. She loved her children, but would much rather take down a drug ring than try to distract her children from the rain. Thunder boomed outside.

Astrid craned her neck to look out the window, and big fat tears filled her eyes as thunder boomed again. Suddenly the strawberries and cheerios were not engaging as Astrid threw them on the floor.

"Astrid Marisella Torres!" Ellie softly rebuked her small daughter, "We don't throw food." Ellie bent down and cleaned up the mess, then wiped off her young daughter hands. Again leaving a kiss on her downey head, and gave her some blocks to keep occupied and hope to make the pancakes before her boys were up. She knew Nick could sleep for hours more, but her son was usually up at the crack of dawn.

The rain pelted her house as she heard a door open and shut. Ellie watched as her son padded down the stairs with a teddy bear dragging down the stairs.

"Good morning, buddy. Did you sleep well?" Ellie asked as he made his way toward the kitchen. Clayton Jethro Torres was a perfect mix of both parents, very protective of his baby sister, made his way to kiss his sister first before looking at Ellie.

"Hi Trixie," Clay smiled and made Astrid forget about the thunder outside. He gave her a slobbery kiss that made Astrid coos and wants to share her strawberries with her older brother whom she adored. "Thanks, Trixie," He popped a strawberry into his mouth as he made his way over to his mother.

"Good morning, Mama. It's raining," Clay mentioned dejectedly. Ellie looked up from the pancake batter she was whisking and saw her son's frown. Suddenly pancakes could wait.

"What's the matter, Champ?" Ellie knelt and looked at her son, who looked so much like his father.

"Dad promised soccer," Clay responded. Ellie hugged her son and kissed his head.

"Well you know that Dad, would call up Thor and Storm to have it rain on the only day he has before he leaves on the Osco Mission," Ellie said, making a dramatic face.

The Torres, like others, had a set of family rules, One of which, Ellie and Nick strived to always tell the truth to their children.

"How long will he be gone?" Clay asked Ellie to loved how tender-hearted her son was.

"Just a few days. But we are going to stay with Grandpa Gibbs." Ellie assured. Another rule, since Ellie was a stay at home mom, and her husband had a list of enemies a mile long. Every time there was a case that sent him out of town, they stayed with someone. When Clayton was younger it was always with McGees, however, once Astrid was born, Gibbs reached out and said that it would give Ellie a break. "Why don't you call up grandpa, and Ask maybe we could come over today and hang with him. Then get back here cadet and help me make Pancakes."

"Okay, Ma" Clay finally smiled. He walked over to the couch and called his one of his favorite people.

"Hi, Grandpa Gibbs. Did you see it is raining? Yes, dad promised we could play soccer, but mom wanted to know if we could come over today. Are you still building the boat? Painting it, I am good at painting. What are we going to name it? We should name it after Trixie" Clay rattled off questions and laughed. Ellie knew his love at his grandfather would dissipate the anger at his father. Ellie also knew that the anger was probably at the fact that Nick was leaving again.

Astrid coo's loudly and waves her hand loudly, apparently felt forgotten.

"Baby Girl, how could we forget you. But until Clay is off the phone or Daddy wakes from his slumber, you know the drill. I can't watch you and make pancakes" Ellie reasoned with the 8-month-old, and the 8th-month-old attempted to drink from her sipper cup the wrong way. Ellie reached over and corrected it and then sat next to the high chair and starred out into the rain. She couldn't blame Clay for feeling nervous about Nick leaving. She always felt nervous, but she trusted Nick and knew he loved his job, and he was an excellent agent.

Clay re-entered the kitchen area. And his usual happy disposition had returned.

"Okay, Reassignment Cadet. I need you to watch the princess and play with her. While I make pancakes." Ellie said as she picked up her daughter and walked over to the playmat and put her on the ground.

"Mama don't burn the pancakes," Clay said. Teasingly

"I'll have you know. Mr. Torres. That my pancake burning days are over. I have improved my ratio."

Ellie watched her children play and kept an eye on the pancakes. Rain, the smell of breakfast created pleasant a morning. Soon there was stack pancakes and fruit, her children were playing. Ellie heard a passage from upstairs, looked up to see her husband of 9 years, and partner for much longer descend the stairs. Nick was wearing work out clothes, Nick usually went out for a run.

He made his way over to his children.

"Good morning Torres family!" Nick said in a boisterous voice as he leaned down to kiss his son and daughter. Astrid reached up to Nick and begged to be picked up. Nick obliged and cuddled and kissed his daughter. He then moved toward Clay and tried to hug him; however, Clay moved away from his father. Nick frowned obviously hurt. He looked over at Ellie, who pointed outside. Astrid cuddled close to her father, almost ready for her morning nap.

"Hey CJ, I didn't know it was going to rain." Nick was the only one who Clay allowed to call him CJ.

"You are still leaving tomorrow," Clay countered with disrespect dripping from his tone.

"Clay, let's sit down and eat." Ellie countered as she knew her son will he sequestered himself in his room soon.

"Alright, I am going to head out. I'll be back in about 45 minutes" Nick deposited Astrid back in her high chair, which in turn made her wail. Ellie frowned as her quiet morning descended into chaos. And Nick went for a run, the rain.

45 minutes later

Ellie and Clay sat on the couch while they were reading Harry Potter. Nick came back dripping wet from the heavy rain. They watched him go into the mudroom attached to the kitchen.

"Hey. So I thought Cj maybe we could hit a movie later today. I saw there was a spider Man flick at the theatres." Nick announced as he grabbed a towel and dried off his face.

Clay looks at his mom, and she bit her lip to keep from smiling. She also whispered, "Answer your father."

"Really dad, do you have time?" Clay asked portraying the real reason for shunning his dad earlier that day. Clay was missing his father, stopped and looked at his mother, and then asked: "What about Grandpa Gibbs?"

Nick came and stood by the couch.

Another Torres rule, don't break your promises. Ellie suggested, "Clayton, why don't you call Grandpa Gibbs back and tell him your dad offered to spend time with you. I'm sure he will understand. "

Clay smiled at his mother and went and called his grandfather on the other side of the room, Nick turned back to his spouse.

"Did Astrid go down okay?" Nick asked

"Yes no thanks to you, she hates the high chair," Ellie responded, watching her son and avoiding Nick's gaze.

"Babe?" Nick questioned again

Ellie finally swung to her eye toward her husbands, and Nick saw what Ellie was avoiding. She was nervous about the upcoming mission. She didn't want to show it in front of her children, but she was nervous.

Nick reached over as she watched Clay smile and laugh and hang up the phone. Nick squeezed her shoulder 3 times. Ellie covered his hand and returned the squeezes 3 times.

"Ma, Grandpa said I should hang with Dad." Clay said.

"Okay, go get ready. I'm going to need about 20 minutes." Nick responded

Clay ran off up the stairs and through multiple passages.

"Hey, are we okay?" Nick asked his wife, finally alone. Ellie had the same look that she did when Nick canceled her date all those years ago, however instead of the wall, she allowed him to see the worry on her face.

"I am worried about the Osco Mission. It is dangerous, and I don't know what I do without you?" Ellie confesses.

Nick pulls her into a hug. Ellie felt safe.

"I promise the same thing I always promise things. No Risks. No hotshots. Just in and out. I'll come back to you. I'll check in every day." Nick promised.

Ellie sighed and felt tears slipped down her cheeks. Nick gently brushed the tears away with his thumb pads. And then he kissed her forehead.

"Eleanor Ray Bishop Torres. I promise I will come back. Listen to me, Mi Amor, I will come back," Nick said quietly.

"I have absolute faith. All my faith in you Todo," Ellie responded back.

Nick kissed her passionately. When He pulled away, he smiled and went to get ready.

Ellie heard Astrid start to cry from her swing, and went to cuddle her baby girl. As Ellie, picked up the baby, she sat in the rocker. Even though her life made her nervous, and Nick's job kept her at night. It still a good life and today was a typical Saturday morning.


End file.
